HOUSE BILL 44

48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2007

INTRODUCED BY

John A. Heaton

FOR THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE

AN ACT

RELATING TO HIGHER EDUCATION; ESTABLISHING THE DIVISIONS OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. Section 9-25-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2005, Chapter 289, Section 4) is amended to read:

     "9-25-4. DEPARTMENT CREATED.--

          A. The "higher education department" is created in the executive branch. The department is a cabinet department [The secretary shall organize the department so that bureaus and divisions exist to focus on the needs of and for the diverse categories of post-secondary institutions, including two-year institutions, four-year institutions, research institutions and institutions with academic medical centers. The secretary shall make recommendations to the second session of the forty-seventh legislature on the statutory organization of the department] and includes the following divisions:

                (1) the administrative services division;

                (2) the planning and research division;

                (3) the financial aid division;

                (4) the public information and communications division;

                (5) the adult basic education division;

                (6) the information technology division;

               (7) the private and proprietary schools division; and

                (8) the public schools liaison division.

          B. The secretary may organize the department and divisions of the department and may transfer or merge functions between divisions and bureaus in the interest of efficiency and economy."

- 2 -